Chutney Recipes - Broad Parameters

[Guest guest]

Hi folks:

On the weekend I took a look at a variety of chutney recipes to try

to establish in my own mind what the recipe inventors were really

trying to do.

This is what I concluded. Taking the middle of the road recipe they

were, by weight:

~50% Various fruits

~15% Raisins

~15% Vinegar of some kind (malt?)

~15% Sugar

~ 5% Vegetables

Since most of us would substitute something else for the sugar, the

proportions of the other components would have to be modified

accordingly. For example, if sucralose were to be used as sweetener

the proportions might be: 60%/17%/17%/0.025%/6% perhaps.

The cooking instructions were essentially: " simmer for one hour " .

Among the flavorings listed in some of the reviewed recipes were:

allspice; cayenne; cinnamon; cloves; cumin; lemon juice; juniper;

nutmeg; vanilla. (Juniper should probably be avoided by anyone

susceptible to mood swings).

I made half a large saucepan of chutney using the above proportions

without any of the flavorings listed and it was still delicious. I

will be experimenting on the batch I made with various combinations

of flavorings in coming weeks.

Hopefully the above principles/formula would permit a recipe to be

tailored to include whatever the chef believes to be the healthiest

foods etc., and using their own choice of flavorings.

Rodney.